Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-03-13


Tie present time land let it be said in
the outset that the history Of the TO-
bacco interest in Pittsylvania county
will be found upon investigation TO be
the exponent OF all the counties OF Vir-
oinia and North Carolina situated in the
!" bright belt" The county OF Piitsyl-
vania in the year 1860 was dotted with
tobacco. factories, being there no les.
than fourteen factories-an posi-
bIy more, which the writer can
NOT now recall-scattered over the
county and not in nor very near the
towns of Danville and Chatham, the
only towns then in the county. These
f.cfories did thriving business, and
were free from disease, constitutional
OF hereditary, and had before them fair
urospects. with healthy competition,
as they grew in numbers sufficiently
rapid TO prevent monopoly, with ITS
evil consequences. These fourteen
factories consumed annually upon an
average each 100, GOO pounds of leaf to
facco, making a total of 1,400,0OO
pounds, which they bought directly
from the planters OF their respective
communities. The average price pald
for this tobacco was not less than Sl5
rer hundred weight The planters de-
live1ed the tobacco at the factories
where it was weighed and paid Tor
without any cost to the planter. The
most of these factories began work
again after the close Of the war; bui
owing to the trouble and expense
arising in consequence of the revenue
laws they we're soon closed, and fewof
the owners removed to the towns, bnt a
majority remained in the country and
became the producers OF leaf tobacco
instead of consumers. Now let me see
what this has
COST THE PLANTER.
OF Pittsylvania bear in mind these
fourteen factories bought and consumed
annually 400, 600 pounds of tobacco,
and that the planters paid nothing for
selling, and handling ut the
factory, whereas since the closing OF
these factories they have been com
PEELED TO sell in open market and pay
Tor weighing, pay commissions on sales
and auction fees. Let us itemize this
cost and see what il has been for the
last twenty years, about the time these
factories closed. We place the average
prite obtained for this tobacco at Sl2,
v Lich ] am quite certain is not too high
on estimate, and place the charges at
Danville rates:
wo and a half per cent on si6s 900. ....si,oe
10 cents per hundred weight on
100000 pounds. Observation-Disclosures. l,AO
Auction fees, % cents per pile estimating
100 pounds to the pilel-i4,cO piles. 8,5oO
Total annual cost. ...................S9,i4 $40
Paid cash.
Additional cost of carriage to mar
distance being increased upon
an average Of fifteen miies-2J cents per
Hundred pounds for travelling; 800
aLded to 1910 makes total annual
cost So, $40; this multiplicity twenty
gives total cost for the last twenty
years S252,S00. Two hundred and
dfty-two thousand eighthundred dollars
teken from the planters OF our country
by the operations of the tax needs no
comment. Nosymptoms Of "plethora
have been found so far, but when the
came calculations have been made for
all counties effected with a similar dis
case abundant indications of a starving
"system" will be seen.
If the number of factories had con-
tinued to increase in the same ratio for
the last twenty years that they did IN
the five years previous to 186O-wheD
there was no tax to traInmel the trade
no revenue laws to be complied with
no revenue officials to harrass and worry
them-in that event, Pittsylvania plan
tiers have lost near
MILLION OF DOLLARS.
But the evil effects of this tax has
not been confined to the planters.
these fourteen factories gave employ
ment TO some five hundred hands-men,
women, boys, and girls. When those
factories closed these operatives were
thrown out of employment. These
poor people, "the loyal subjects of the
Government" were despoiled OF their
employment and means of earning
living for themselves and families, and
even forced to seek employment else
where. Being skilled in the nanipu-
lations of leaf tobacco, and be-
ing accustomed to labor i'll the
factory, preference as well as necessity
led them to the towns where the manu-
featuring business was rapidly concen-
trating. Hitler they focked with their
families. These towns were poorly
prepared to receive such an influx OF
the poor class, consequently these peo-
ple, the special wards of the nation,
were forced to huddle together in shan
ties I: to suffer with cold, hunger, and
tie evil effects being crowdedtogether.
Rere is unmistakable symptoms of
"plethora." And that this "plethora "
still exists, one. has only to visit the
town of Danville, or any other tobacco
town of Virginia or North Carolina to
lie convinced. Thither the colored
people have hocked and congregated In
such numbers that it is impossible for
all to get permanent employment.
Many seek living by dark and doubt
full means: and now q few have become
the plant tools in the hands OF
Satan's emissaries for moral and social
evil, as well as for political corruption.
This tide of emigration, set in motion
by the operations of the tax, has con
tinued TO flow until it has almost
drained TIE country of agricultural Ia
bor and forced many fair and delicate
hands to become "hewers of wood and
drawers of water" !; and yet the tide
flows on, this same tax giving it impe-
tus by depriving the laborer of fair
wages and the landlord Of fair returns.
With this incomplete diagnosis / must
close, with the promise to complete. it
in the near future.
Very respectfully,
THOMAS e. CoBBs.
I'M. d." on Perfect Health.